[Okay. It’ll be better with ghosts watching the surroundings. But our opponent is Carson. Communication is not easy with him.]
Russell said, his face scrunching up in frustration.
During the Heint situation, there were hostages involved, and there were so ans of communication available to a certain extent.
However, Carson was not soone who was likely to listen even if such ans existed.
Moreover, hadn’t they already encountered him beyond the frontier before?
He would surely rember and seek revenge.
“He’s my brother, but I know how stubborn he can be,” Lucion said as he gathered the data.
[So let’s hurry.]
Russell said, entering through the door.
After about 5 minutes, Russell returned and inford them that the outside was simply a passage leading to the mountain.
Hu then spoke up, “I’ve gathered everything.”
“Already…?” Lucion raised his head from collecting the data in front of him.
The speed at which Hu had gathered a few files stacked in the corner compared to Lucion gathering the rest was striking.
Was he really that slow?
“How about we start moving now?”
―Yes! Let’s go, Lucion!
Ratta accepted Hu’s suggestion and urged Lucion.
“Shouldn’t we et Mr. Kran and get the holy relics?”
Hu seed particularly anxious today.
Lucion didn’t want to face Carson here, so he left the basent.
―Hah, Ratta is happy now.
Ratta stepped out of the shadows and ran around the mansion happily.
Lucion wandered through the mansion, guiding wandering ghosts towards the boundary between life and death.
Among them were so who had been mbers of the organization.
Lucion didn’t avert his gaze from their bewildered expressions.
It was the least he could do for those who had sacrificed their lives for the organization.
[Mr. Hal. Can you see ?] One of the ghostly mbers of the organization t Lucion’s gaze and asked.
“Yes, I can see you.”
In response, the ghostly mbers of the organization gathered around Lucion.
[Did I… die… then?]
So denied it.
[I guess I am dead.]
Soone accepted it.
[Why, why doesn’t the God of Light see us off?]
And soone ntioned what he had been taught, the end of death.
“I dare not say there is no God, but this is death. God is not coming, and death is not the end,” Lucion stated.
He stretched out his hand.
“If you have lost your way, I will guide you to where you need to go. This is the final farewell I can offer to all of you who worked for the organization.”
A final goodbye.
Upon hearing those words, each mber, wearing different expressions, smiled faintly.
[Indeed, Mr Hal, you are a kind person. It’s regrettable to finally understand why you’ve been wandering alone all this ti.]
One by one, they began taking Lucion’s hand.
[This landscape… it’s so lonely, please guide , I don’t know where to go.]
“Do any of you have any last words?”
Lucion asked, and they looked at each other, then hugged him as if they had made a promise.
“…?” Lucion was genuinely surprised.
But he didn’t pull away.
They were different from the ghosts he knew. They were affectionate.
As he realized there were other ghosts besides his teacher and Bethel who held fondness for him, his palms tingled.
[I couldn’t believe that I had died, but I was happy to be with the organization, even for a short while.]
[I wished we could have stayed together longer. It’s so unfortunate.]
[Thank you for being with until the end, Mr. Hal.]
After hearing their last words, Lucion released darkness from his palm.
It was a sha.
It felt like a stab in the heart.
One by one, the organization mbers disappeared, shimring in the darkness.
The shimring light seed particularly poignant today.
Lucion took off his mask, bowed his head towards them, and wished them peace.
“Please, find peace in a better place.”
* * *
“…Ha.”
Lucion caught his breath.
When the King of Darkness took all the darkness he possessed, leaving him empty and with a gaping hole in his stomach, the darkness gave him sothing in return.
He initially thought it was a black orb, but it turned out to amplify his own darkness, expanding Ratta’s range of shadow movent.
However, even with the increased range, using it multiple tis to return to the central area was still draining. Lucion was already fatigued and in poor health.
“You look exhausted.”
Hu diligently blew cool air toward Lucion, who was already drenched in sweat.
“It’s because I was in that mansion without proper ventilation earlier. But it’s better now that it’s nightti… Ah.”
As Lucion neared the eting place with Kran in Central, a sudden realization struck him.
[What’s wrong? Is sothing missing from that mansion?] Bethel asked.
“No, I’m finished. There’s nothing left to see there,” Lucion replied, shaking his head.
Two days ago, he had controlled the dead warlock who had died in that mansion, and today he had asked him various questions.
And he t his end by Bethel’s sword.
It was what Bethel desired.
“I forgot to ntion what the black orb was made of,” Lucion said, looking towards Russell.
He thought Russell would be most pleased to hear this.
[So, what is the black orb made of?]
Sure enough, Russell urged, licking the corners of his mouth as if he had delicious food in front of him.
“I’m not sure if I should call it blood or bodily fluids, but the darkness attacked that man, and sothing similar to the power of the black orb ca out from him,” Lucion explained.
[Did the darkness’s attack succeed?]
“No. It didn’t work.”
[Okay. In that case, it’s not blood or body fluids, but probably the ‘darkness’ that man possesses.]
Lucion’s head tilted slightly.
[You said you can’t attack him with your darkness whether it’s mana or light, it’s all the sa. But the darkness’s attack didn’t work and sothing ca out?]
“Yes.”
[So it must be his own ‘darkness’, different from the darkness that exists in nature.]
Russell, who was trying hard to explain, frowned.
[What I don’t understand is how you can absorb that darkness.]
“Have you forgotten? My existence…”
[No, it’s not that. Just as different bowls have varying capacities to hold different substances based on their purpose, the sa applies here. One vessel can only contain one power.]
“What do you an? Are you suggesting that I can contain a power that I originally couldn’t?”
[There are two possibilities. Either you as the vessel have the ability to contain any power, or you were the original owner of that power.]
“I suppose it’s the forr. The latter doesn’t make sense,” Lucion chuckled.
[I agree. Since you already possess your own darkness.]
Feeling relieved, Lucion made his way to the eting place.
“Have you arrived?” Kran greeted Lucion and Hu.
“You didn’t co alone, did you?” Lucion asked, to which Kran shook his head.
“Reint ca with , of course, but he’s waiting elsewhere. Miella wanted to co too, but…”
“I heard that today she’s determined to finish that item,” Lucion interjected.
He had contacted Miella earlier, simply saying her na, which caused her to burst into tears.
It made him feel so sorry to see her crying so sorrowfully.
After a while, she managed to speak.
“Today might be a bit embarrassing, but it’s alright. You know, I finally decided on a na for this item. It’s called ‘Sunbeam.’ It may sound childish, but I like it. Sunbeam is like you, Hal. It clears all the gloomy clouds and rain. So, I hope this Sunbeam… Please, please protect Hal.”
Sunbeam.
Even though it was a funny na, it was Miella who created the item.
If she likes it, what does it matter?
Lucion took his seat and removed his mask.
Since he was already exposed, there was no need to wear a stuffy mask anymore.
Kran flinched for a mont.
“Why are you surprised? What’s on my face?” Lucion asked.
“It’s just… I can’t believe it,” Kran replied.
“Am I a saint? Or is the saint a warlock?” Lucion’s mischievous smile brought Kran a newfound sense of comfort.
He realized that Lucion could smile like that because it was a face he had never seen before, concealed behind a mask.
Lucion possessed a youthful yet mature charm, and the contrast was bittersweet.
“By the way, the room feels cool,” Lucion remarked, briefly closing his eyes.
While the mask kept his head cool, the sa couldn’t be said for the rest of his body.
“Yes, I deliberately chose this place. But you should refrain from wandering around like this,” Kran advised.
“Enough with the nagging.”
“No, you may continue. The young master needs to hear those words,” Hu chid in, smiling and contradicting Lucion’s statent.
[Yes, well done! Hu, you’re the best!] Russell expressed his joy and pride in Hu, wanting to hug and celebrate him.
Ratta, stretching with her forepaws on the table, nodded in agreent.
—Yes, that’s right! Ratta thinks Kran and Hu are both doing great! The best!
Hee-hee.
Happy laughter filled the room as Ratta’s tail wagged rapidly.
Bethel laughed at the sight, wanting to join in, but unable to speak with Lucion’s gaze fixed upon her.
“I believe I have seen Hal accurately now,” Kran said, wearing a serious expression, even though he still did not know the true identity of the person nad Rental standing beside Lucion.
“…?” Lucion raised his eyebrows as Kran spoke with a curious expression.
“Hal, I want to help you in any way I can, and that’s what brings happiness.”
“Why?” Lucion asked.
“Hal, please,” Kran pleaded.
Yesterday, they had raided an anthill, and while going through the gathered information, Kran stumbled upon an entry labeled ‘Lucion Cronia.’
Unlike other recent updates, Lucion Cronia’s data remained unchanged.
Kran began to understand why Lucion felt uncomfortable receiving help.
Lucion had enemies surrounding him—those who wanted to extract his information, sell him to the Neubra Kingdom, or even kill him.
Overwheld by a sense of despair, Kran couldn’t read any further.
When he was the sa age as Lucion, Kran had enjoyed his life as a prince.
By the ti he lost his country, before he could even roll around like a dog, Lucion was already walking a thorny path.
“Why?”
“What… do you like?” Kran asked.
“Macarons,” Lucion replied casually, reclining on the sofa.
Seeing a hint of sadness in Kran’s eyes, Lucion chuckled.
It seed that Kran had stumbled upon his own information in the anthill.
However, regardless of how Kran perceived himself, the fact that he did not betray Lucion and tried to keep the secret was what truly mattered.
Yesterday, they had finally gained control of all the branches, including the six branches and the anthill.
Naturally, a red thread appeared, pointing westward.
To the west lay the Neubra Kingdom.
“The ‘apple’ on the anthill was fabricated by . I don’t like apples.”
“I will pay more attention.”
“Give the holy relics first,” Lucion demanded, extending his hand.
“Are those truly holy relics?” Kran questioned skeptically.
At Kran’s doubt, Lucion smirked. “Do you want to see if they’re real or not?”
“Oh, no!” Kran shook his head, then asked, “Why… are you collecting these things?”
“Because the divine beast needs them.”
“Did the Divine Beast truly choose Hal?” Kran expressed his doubts.
To alleviate Kran’s suspicions, Lucion imdiately lifted his bangs and pointed to his forehead.
“Do you see it here? This is the mark of receiving the blessing of a divine beast.”
Although Kran witnessed it firsthand, confusion quickly overwheld him.
“Can a warlock beco a saint?” Kran questioned.
“I told you to ask if you had any questions yesterday, didn’t I? Since ti has passed, I won’t tell you now.”
“You’re being petty,” Kran remarked as he handed over the holy relics.
“Haha,” Lucion laughed. Just because Kran had discovered one secret, he was acting recklessly.
“Give the organized data as well. It’s a copy, right?”
“Yes, it is. Are you angry?” Kran subtly glanced over.
“No, I don’t get angry easily. You know that, right?”
—Yes, yes! Lucion is so kind!
[Well, that’s true now. He used to be quite fiery before.] Russell added quietly.
As soon as Lucion’s gaze t Russell’s, the latter smiled proudly.
“Kran.”
“Yes, please speak,” Kran responded, feeling unnecessarily tense.
“I asked to et like this today because there’s sothing I need to give you.”
Lucion handed over a letter revealing that Kran had been enslaved for ten years by soone, a secret he had been keeping and that had to be revealed to him two days ago.
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